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Party dispute headline suggesting Leigh MP would rebel against HS2

A NATIONAL headline suggesting Leigh MP Andy Burnham would rebel against Labour over HS2 has been disputed by his party.

An interview with the MP appeared in the New Statesman last Wednesday with the headline 'Andy Burnham: I'm prepared to rebel against Labour over HS2'.

Later the same day, Politics Home published an article reporting that a spokesman for Labour leader Ed Miliband had told them Mr Burnham had not used the words attributed to him in the headline.

In the interview, Mr Burnham said: "If they don't look again at the depot, I'd have to say to my own whips 'Everyone's constituency is going to be affected differently and everyone is going to have to account. You can't have a blanket position because it doesn't affect everyone equally, does it?'"

The spokesman told Politics Home: "Mr Burnham supports Labour's collective position supporting HS2. He was making the case about local issues in his constituencies like many other MPs. He did not use the words attributed to him in the headline."

Mr Burnham was on a family holiday this week and unavailable for comment.